Michael smiled. "Liao agents have brought me an offer of support against Hanse Davion."
"Those God-cursed bastards!" The Count's jaw muscles bunched as he ground his teeth. "I hope you told them to go to hell!"
Before replying, Michael straightened himself up to full height. "As a matter of fact, I told them that the offer was most tempting."
The Count sank back speechlessly into the blue chair's deep padding. His jaw hung open as he stared at Michael in disbelief.
The Duke watched him with a smile. You, my bulldog, will have value in defending me only if you can see my true plan.
Michael turned away from his subordinate to again study the view of the many ships heading toward Terra. "Consider, Anton, what this marriage means in military and political terms to the Successor States. Hanse has promised me that he will reinforce the Capellan March with troops from the Draconis march as soon as this year's Galahad exercises are over. He feels that the Draconis Combine will not be as much of a threat after the marriage to a Steiner because the alliance guarantees that the Dragon will have to fight a two-front war anytime he decides to be aggressive."
A nervous tremor rippled through the Count's voice. "That seems sensible, Highness. But it sounds as though you do not believe the Prince will keep his word."
Michael nodded thoughtfully. "Your observation is correct, but I have developed this belief without assigning malice to my brother-in-law. I believe he will not get the opportunity."
"I don't know that I follow you, My Lord."
Michael pointed to some of the ships racing toward Terra. "There they are, Anton—the leaders of the Successor States. Lord Takashi Kurita is too wise to let himself be boxed in. Maximilian Liao still dreams of being the First Lord of a new Star League, and Janos Marik has no love for either House Steiner or House Davion. There can be no doubt that those three consider the strengthening of the alliance between Davion and Steiner to be a serious threat."
"If you will forgive me, Duke Michael, that conclusion is obvious. But surely they will not strike at the wedding."
Michael shook his head slowly, letting his braid rustle the silken fabric of his dark tunic. "No, Anton, they would never do that—for the same reasons you have already enumerated. I also daresay that they will not strike immediately after the wedding, either, because Hanse has gathered his troops in and around the Terran Corridor for Galahad '28." Michael sat down to face the Count, but his eyes had a faraway look, as though contemplating a distant future image. "Now that would be a battle for all time, would it not?" he said finally. "The best of Kurita, Liao, and Davion battling it out on a dozen worlds—with Hanse Davion trapped on Terra all the while . . ."
The Count chuckled. "In such a situation, you would have to take temporary control of the government and lead the Federated Suns to victory."
The Duke's smile dried as he pressed his lips into a thin line. "True, but I fear it is an opportunity that will never come. From what I can learn, it appears that Kurita and Liao will take a more conservative approach. They will wait until the Terran Corridor is once again down to normal strength before striking. Liao will likely bear the brunt of the assault, while Kurita forces will attempt to hold the Steiner border. And if House Marik can crush the little revolutions that Hanse has been financing within their realm, then Janos will strike out at the Steiner border. Thus will Steiner have to ease up on Kurita or else lose worlds to Marik."
The Count tapped his pointy chin with the index finger of his right hand. "For Liao to mount a strong offensive against the Terran Corridor, he'd have to strip troops from the St. Ives and Sian Commonalities. That would leave the way clear for you to attack..."
Michael smiled and stretched with feline grace. "Indeed. And that explains the communications I have received from Liao. His inducements to betray Hanse are both intriguing and inviting."
The Count drew in a breath to power a protest, then stopped before the words could form. His jaw closed slowly as a smile lit his face "You will accept Liao's offers so that he can move his troops to the front, and then you will hit him after he has engaged Hanse's troops."
Michael's eyes flashed fire. "Exactly! I will provide Max Liao with details of Hanse's troop placements—and even overvalue them so that Liao will tie up even more troops than necessary in his assaults. I will likewise undervalue my own troop strength so that Liao will not sense the dagger pressed against his belly."
The Count's white teeth showed in a feral grin. "And when the time comes ..."
"And when the time comes, I will eviscerate the Capellan Confederation and be hailed a hero in the Federated Suns. A popular groundswell of support will elevate me to become supreme ruler of the Federated Capellan Empire!"
The Count slapped his hands, and then rubbed them together greedily. "I will gladly serve as an instrument of your victory, Highness. With your permission, I would ask only one thing."
Michael raised a dark eyebrow. "Yes, Anton?"
"When you take Sian, give Justin Xiang to me. He escaped justice last time through Davion's intercession. This time, I would like to see that he gets it."
Duke Michael Hasek-Davion nodded his agreement. "It would be my pleasure, Count Vitios." And wherever you leave off in your treatment of Xiang, that is where I will begin to exact my revenge upon Hanse Davion . . .
25
ComStar First Circuit Compound
Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra
17 August 3028
Captain Daniel Lord Allard nodded his head at the plump, blond Baroness de Gambier, but the frozen smile on his face felt as though it would never come unstuck. Blake's Blood! How did Felicity get invited here ?While she was making her way toward him through the crowd gathered in the spacious ballroom antechamber, Dan wordlessly communicated his panic to Colonel Morgan Kell.
"Before we left for the wedding, I meant to ask you, Captain how you envisioned the rechanneling of fusion power within a 'Mech engine to maximize cooling . . ." Morgan's voice carried loudly enough to deflect the Baroness from her course toward Dan into a more solicitous grouping. Morgan laughed with a little shake of the head. "She'll be back, you know."
Dan rolled his eyes. "Our grandfathers served in the same 'Mech unit ages ago. Her brother Jacques and I were good friends at NAMA. During our off time from some cadre training operation on Gambier, he took me to visit his family." Dan tugged at his dress uniform's stiff collar. "Gambier is only four jumps from Kestrel, so whenever I went to Kestrel to see my grandparents, I found Felicity already ensconced in the house 'by coincidence.' "
"I've seen the look in her eyes before, Dan. In the way that woman with Morgan Hasek-Davion looks at him, for instance. It doesn't bode well for your continued freedom."
Dan grimaced. "Maybe our next contract will take us beyond the Periphery."
Something flashed in Morgan's eyes, as though Dan had touched him in a dark and painful place, but it vanished just as quickly. "Perhaps, Dan. Perhaps." Morgan's smile broadened at the sight of the heavy-set black-haired man approaching them now. Thrusting out a hand, Morgan greeted the newcomer heartily. "Scott Bradley! It's been far too long."
Bradley returned the smile, but a nervous tremor in his lower lip betrayed his unease. "That it has, Morgan. I'm glad to see you looking fit." Bradley freed his hand from Morgan's and offered it to Dan. "Captain Allard, glad to see you again."